Home Podcasts To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes

To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes

Charlie Sykes 198 episodes Latest Jun 2, 2026

Charlie Sykes offers a contrarian perspective on politics and culture, arguing that listeners are not the crazy ones in a polarized world. The podcast features analysis and commentary on current events, challenging mainstream narratives. It is hosted on Acast.

Episodes

The Alternative Universe of Grief Jun 11, 2026 45:43 In this special To the Contrary episode, Charlie sits down with Danielle Crittenden, whose daughter Miranda died suddenly two years ago. Crittenden recently published Dispatches from Grief: A Mother's Journey Through the Unthinkable. They discuss life after loss, how to talk about grief, and the awkward moments that arise when you tell others you've lost someone you love. Hosted on Acast. See acas
The Ferrets Running Around in Trump’s Brain Jun 9, 2026 44:24 Legal analyst and Talking Feds host, Harry Litman, joins Charlie to dissect Trump's brief interview with Meet the Press, his legal battles over the slush fund, and the DOJ declaration that Trump has the right to bulldoze the Statue of Liberty.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Tara Palmeri: Men Behaving Badly Jun 6, 2026 44:11 On today’s episode of “To the Contrary,” Charlie sits down with journalist and author of “The Red Letter” Substack, Tara Palmeri. The two of them discuss Main’s messy Senate race, Trump’s behavior with female reporters in the Oval Office and CBS’ continual crumble.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
"Trump Is Losing Power and It’s Making Him More Malicious" Jun 4, 2026 43:55 Jonathan Rauch is a Brookings Institution Senior Fellow and a contributing writer at The Atlantic. In this episode, he joins Charlie to talk about Trump's-now-killed slush fund, U.S.-Israel relations, and the war with Iran. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
What Happened to Rudy Giuliani? Jun 2, 2026 48:43 John Avlon is chair of Citizens Union, former editor-in-chief of The Daily Beast and former chief speechwriter for Mayor Rudy Giuliani. In this episode, he joins Charlie to discuss Trump's UFC cage, Rudy Giuliani's fall from grace, and John Cornyn's scorpion fable post. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Can Trump Be Stopped? Actually, Yes. May 30, 2026 46:14 Miles Taylor is a former DHS official during Trump's first term and the founder of Defiance.org. He joins Charlie to discuss how the administration's changes to the green card process reveal that Trump's immigration stance was never about those who entered the country illegally — but about all immigrants. They also cover artists pulling out of the Freedom 250 concert and Trump's potential role in
Trump’s Bread and Circuses Moment May 28, 2026 44:46 Former Congressman and children’s book author, Adam Kinzinger, joins Charlie to discuss the ridiculousness of the UFC Octagon project on the WH lawn, Megyn Kelly's shock at Trump's corruption, and Texas election. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Should We Have Billionaires? May 23, 2026 50:46 Justin Wolfers is a professor of economics at the University of Michigan and author of the Platypus Economics Substack. In this episode, he joins Charlie to make the case against big tech moguls, discuss the price tag of Trump's Iran adventure, and talk about how crony capitalism is reshaping America. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
It’s the Corruption, Stupid May 21, 2026 51:20 Phillips O'Brien is a historian and Professor of Strategic Studies at the University of St Andrews, Scotland. In this episode, he joins Charlie to discuss Trump's corruption, his desperate Iran's gambit, and his weak position in global politics.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Trump's Goon Squad Slush Fund May 19, 2026 56:31 Nicholas Grossman, editor of Arc Digital and professor of international relations at the University of Illinois, joins Charlie to discuss the new levels of corruption Trump and his family have descended into. They also discuss Trump's visit to China, his Iran conundrum, and whether Cuba is next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Ozymandias Phase of the Trump Presidency May 16, 2026 44:39 Tim O'Brien, Senior Executive Editor at Bloomberg Opinion, joins Charlie to discuss the President's recent China visit, the poor state of American democracy, and Trump's golden phone scam.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
David Frum: Trump’s "America First" Is Actually "America Alone" May 14, 2026 54:00 David Frum of The Atlantic joins Charlie to discuss Trump's China visit, his ignorance on oil and the global economy, and the Democrats' missteps heading into the midterms. The conversation also turns personal: Frum reflects on loss and his wife's new book about their family's journey through grief after losing their daughter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recommended

Playing